Nintendo has been toying with the idea of adding a “Gamer Card” to the list of Wii U features, something akin to the Nintendo 3DS StreetPass. The rumored Wii U Gamer Card, which Nintendo itself has suggested a few times over the past year, would be based on a small device that gamers would carry with them, something that would cost $5 to $10, according to the latest rumors.
The device would be likely to utilize the Wii U NFC technology in order to be paired with a controller or console in order to connect it to a players Nintendo Network account. Bu out “in the field”, the Wii U Gamer Card would be able to detect nearby devices and 3DS Steet Pass consoles, connect to them, share data, Nintendo Network information, and more. Additionally, the Wii U Gamer Card would include a tiny LCD screen for data reading and input.
Our take on this rumor: bogus. It’s too fiddly and too gimmicky to be taken seriously by core gamers, and it doesn’t add much value to begin with. Usually, gamer friends are found playing online and adding them, rather than carrying a separate device (God knows we’re already carrying too much stuff in our pockets). The Street Pass for the 3DS works because the 3DS is already a mobile device and the data is stored on the portable console itself, and the fact that once you connect to another 3DS, you can instantly play a game together. It won’t be like that for the Wii U — here, the Gamer Card looks to be an expensive, electronic business card you hand to someone.
Ultimately, for the Wii U, A “Gamer Card” feature sounds like an idea Nintendo toyed around with, but decided against. It just doesn’t seem like a feature core gamers would appreciate, and Nintendo has repeatedly said that the Wii U caters to core gamers first. What do you think? Would you buy and use such a “Gamer Card” for your Wii U? Let us know in the comments.
